In the conventional inkjet recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium such as paper and cloth, recording media are conveyed sequentially by a conveyance apparatus, and ink is jetted from the recording head of the printing unit toward the recording medium, whereby an image is recorded on the surface of each recording medium (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-47670).
As shown in FIGS. 7(a) and (b), in such an inkjet recording apparatus 100, the direction of installing the printing unit 101 with respect to the direction X of conveying the recording medium K is determined in advance. Further, the conveyance apparatus 102 is so designed that the recording medium K can be conveyed only in one direction. Thus, when the inkjet recording apparatus 100 is designed, the printing unit 101 must be installed in conformity to the direction X in which the recording medium K is conveyed by a conveyance apparatus 102.
However, when the printing unit 101 and conveyance apparatus 102 are manufactured and sold as separate units, the direction of the operation panel 101a on the side of the printing unit 101 is aligned to that of the operation panel 102a on the side of the conveyance apparatus 102 in order to enhance the operation and maintenance efficiency. In this case, the direction of installing the printing unit 101 will be opposite to the direction of conveyance X, with the result that an image may not be recorded.
One object of the present invention is to provide a printing unit and inkjet recording apparatus capable of recording an image, independently of the direction of conveyance.